Relatively Speaking
by Kirk Baldridge
Summary: After the finale, it's time to fix things.


NAME: Kirk Baldridge

EMAIL: 

TITLE: _Relatively Speaking_

DISCLAIMER: I do not own these characters. They belong to SyFy. I'm just borrowing them.

FANDOM: Warehouse 13

PAIRING: Myka / Helena

RATING: T

SUMMARY: It's time to fix things. But who will pay the price?

SPOILER: Set just after the 3rd season finale. If you haven't seen it yet, DO NOT read this.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: My previous story, _Lost, Found and Lost Again_ was meant to be bittersweet. Now its time to put right what once went wrong. I hope you enjoy it.

"Not yet."

Those were the last words Artie said to the rest of this team for quite some time. They left the remains of the Warehouse and went back to the B&B to check on Claudia and Leena. After taking a moment with Mrs. Fredric's remains he wandered off, mumbling something about needing to see the Regents, and leaving Pete and Myka to fill in the others on what happened to the Warehouse, as well as Sykes, Jane, and Helena.

"A pocket watch?" Claudia was sitting cross-legged on the couch with the metronome in her lap. She had refused to even let it out of her sight. "You think it was an artifact?"

Pete shrugged. "What else? I'll bet it has some mojo that can fix this clusterf…" He paused, briefly. "…but he has to check with the Regents to make sure its kosher to use it."

"Why would Artie have it?" Leena, who was just returning from the kitchen with coffee, asked. "Unless, maybe, he thought something like this might happen and he wanted to be prepared?"

"I wouldn't put it past him," said Claudia. "Artie's like a wizard."

"A tiny wizard with huge eyebrows." Pete, to his credit, was trying to lighten the mood. Unfortunately, Leena was the only one who reacted, and it was only with a slight smile. "Really? Nothing?"

"It's not funny, Pete." All eyes turned, as Myka was speaking for the first time since they got back from the Warehouse. "I don't care about Sykes or his plans. We have to fix this."

Pete put his hand on her shoulder. "Come on, Mykes. You're supposed to be the optimist here. You know if there's any chance, Artie will figure out a way to bring the Warehouse back." He rubbed his hands together and reached for the tray of Leena's cookies. "Now, let's eat!"

Myka abruptly got to her feet. "I'm going to my room. Call me if Artie comes back."

Claudia, metronome in hand, followed. "Hey, Myka?"

"Whatever it is, can we please talk about this in the morning?"

"You miss her, don't you?"

Myka blinked. "What?"

"HG. I saw your reaction when Pete talked about bringing the Warehouse back. That's not what you're worried about, is it? I mean, I'm sure you want that too, but you're thinking about HG."

"What are you implying, Claudia?"

"I'm not implying anything. I'm saying it outright. Myka Bering, you're in love with HG Wells." Claudia smiled at the stunned expression on Myka's face. "What? You guys were always hanging out, sitting close, sharing the lingering looks and all, before HG went all world destroyer on us. Then when holo-Helena was around and you kept acting like you wanted to reach out to her." She shook her head. "I'm cool with it. So is Leena." She shrugged. "She told me about what she saw in your auras whenever you two were together. Look, HG was gorgeous, and I'm sure Pete wouldn't blame you a bit. Hell, he'd probably encourage it."

Myka sighed. "Claud, I'm begging you to stop, Please."

"Sorry." Claudia looked down at the metronome and then back up at Myka with tears in her eyes. "You're not alone you know. I saw how HG was always staring at you when you weren't looking. If Pete's right, and we can fix this, just make sure you tell her how you feel. Don't miss your chance again."

Myka wiped her own eyes. "Thanks, Claudia."

"Any time."

It was nearly noon before Myka and Pete got out of bed, and upon entering the dining room to find Artie with Claudia and Leena. They were a little more surprised to also find two Regents waiting, Mr. Kosan and Pete's mother Jane, just back from Japan. All were silent as the two agents sat down.

"Do either of you know what this is?" Artie sat the watch on the table in front of him.

Pete glanced at Myka and his mother, both of whom silently shook their heads. Whatever he had been about to say died on the tip of his tongue. "No."

"Albert Einstein's pocket watch," Artie continued. "He wore it all the time. It was with him when he came up with the theory of relativity, and he used it in any number of his experiments. Now, Einstein wasn't just a genius. He had a once in a generation mind and was able to understand things about the universe some people are still trying to make sense of today. It was also with him when he died, and was imbued with his creative energy."

"What does it do?" Claudia asked. "Alter the space time continuum?"

Jane nodded. "In a manner of speaking. By depressing the stem, this artifact allows its wielder to travel to a specific point in time and space. It is believed Einstein did this at least once, though the records are not entirely clear as the man was notorious for not writing anything down."

"So we can use it to go back and stop Sykes from nuking the Warehouse? What're we waiting for?" Pete reached for the watch, only to have Artie pull it away. "Hey!"

"Peter, this is an artifact," said Jane. "Do you, of all people, think it could really be that simple?" Jane shook her head. "Continue, Agent Nielsen."

"Yes, someone can go back, but there are costs. For one, the traveler ages a minute for every minute outside of time they go. Use the watch to move back several years and…well, you figure it out. Plus, there's another issue. If the traveler is going simply to observe an event, to learn the identity of a murderer for example, they can press the stem again and be automatically brought back to the moment they left." Artie paused. "However, if they actually try to change something, to save a life, or…stop a bomb…"

Claudia blinked. "Whoa."

"What?" Pete looked around the table. Myka had the same look on her face. He couldn't read anything from Leena or Kosan, which made him think he was missing something.

"If you change something, you can't come back," said Myka. "Because changing even something minor alters the whole timeline, and the point you left no longer exists." Artie and Jane nodded.

Pete frowned. "So, whoever used this thing would get older, and stuck in the past?"

"Not stuck," Artie corrected. "They would be part of a timeline in which they already exist. Only, a person cannot exist in two places at the same time. One of them has to be removed."

"The traveler would die," said Claudia. "But their past self would continue to exist, right?"

Jane nodded. "As far as we know."

"So someone else has to die to save the Warehouse?" Leena asked. "Agent Jinks, HG Wells, Ms. Fredric, how much more blood must be spilled before we realize it's time to stop?"

"But don't you see? No one has to die." Claudia pointed at the watch. "Leena, this can fix everything. Someone uses this and we can save Steve, HG, Mrs. Fredric and the Warehouse. They go back to a point before Steve dies and kick Sykes ass." She looked at Artie and Jane. "Right?"

Pete slapped his hands down on the table. "Yeah! We know the plan now. We can stop him early. Make sure none of this crap ever happens and we're golden. So let's do this!"

"Weren't you listening?" Artie practically growled. "This isn't a joke and it's not that simple."

"The strain on the human body is too great," said Jane. "Only one person ever used the watch successfully as far as we know, and it's believed he was left unhinged as a result of the experience."

Leena arched an eyebrow. "Who?"

"James."

Claudia gasped. "McPherson? You're saying this watch made him nuts?"

"You got it from him?" Leena asked. "Artie…"

"I know," Artie replied. "And frankly I'm not happy about it either. I thought James had destroyed the watch after her used it. Under the circumstances though, I'm glad he did."

"Naturally, we're not prepared to order anyone to use the artifact." Kosan finally spoke. "But returning the Warehouse and its contents is of the utmost importance, so we're asking for…"

Pete and Myka said the same thing at the same time. "I'll do it."

Jane paled. "Peter…"

"You said yourself mom, the person who belongs in that timeline will be all right. I can be all John Connor and sacrifice the past to save the future. If it saves Jinksy, HG, Mrs. F and the Warehouse."

"It should be me," said Myka. "Because I know the perfect time to go. Helena and I had some time to ourselves in the Sanctuary, and she told me about being put back into her own body. If I go there, just before Sykes gives her the coin, I can stop him and Marcus and keep her as Emily Lake."

Jane and Kosan shared a look. Artie sat back in his chair and sighed. Claudia clutched at the metronome, which she had not let go of all night. Pete turned to his partner.

"Mykes, are you sure?"

"I'm sorry, Pete. I have to do this." Myka held out her hand. "Shall we?"

Artie gave her a Tesla first. "For Sykes and Marcus." He handed her the watch. "Good luck."

"Thanks." Myka held the Tesla in one hand and the watch in the other. "Here goes."

"Wait!" After a moment, Claudia sat the metronome on the table. "Take this too. It's keeping Marcus alive and it's the only thing that'll put him down."

Kosan cleared his throat. "Ms. Donovan…"

"Don't start. Mrs. F tried to give me the same spiel. Isn't using this thing to stop Sykes better than having to use it to bring Steve back? 'cause I was gonna. Take it, Myka. Stop it as soon as you get back, and it might kill Marcus even though the other metronome still exists there somewhere."

Myka stuck the Tesla in her pocket and reached for the metronome. "Okay." She looked around, her gaze lingering on Claudia, Artie, and particularly Pete. "Goodbye." Without a second thought she pushed the stem of the pocket watch and felt the whole of creation was folding in on her.

Myka reappeared in a strange corridor, outside a half-open door through which she could hear the unmistakable voice of Walter Sykes. Careful not to touch the stem she slipped the watch into her pocket and pulled out the Tesla while adjusting the metronome in her other hand. She peeked through the gap in the door and saw Sykes, along with Marcus and Jinks, about to hand the Janus coin to Emily Lake.

This was the moment to strike. All she had to do was zap Sykes and Marcus, then even if she started to fade she could get Jinks to break the metronome and make sure Emily got home to Wyoming and Dickens. But Myka hesitated, because she was thinking about her conversation with Claudia. If she stayed Emily, she would never get a chance to tell Helena how she felt. '_Or maybe I can. If they put the coin back in the sphere…'_ The air was suddenly charged with electricity, and too late Myka realized Emily was now holding the coin. Her expression and physical mannerisms had changed as well. '_Helena._'

Myka stopped the metronome and tossed it aside. In the room Marcus staggered. Needless to say this was a bit of a shock to everyone, so while they were all looking at him she kicked the door open and ran in firing the Tesla. The first blast hit Sykes in the chest and he collapsed, the riding crop slipping out of his grip. She fired again at Marcus and he finally collapsed. Even as she did this Myka was struck by an overwhelming weakness. Her knees buckled but Helena was suddenly there, holding the other woman up. "Hey there."

"Hey yourself. Myka, darling, what are you doing here?"

Jinks looked around. "Where's Pete?" As far as he knew, the two agents were inseparable.

"He'll…we'll…be here…" Myka felt so cold. "I…won't…" With what little strength she had left, she pulled the watch out of her pocket and gave it to Helena.

"Oh my. I remember this from in the Warehouse records. It belonged to Albert Einstein, yes? A remarkable individual as I recall." Helena sighed. "Myka, what did you do?"

"Only way. Sykes…destroyed…Warehouse. Y-You died, Helena. You too, Steve." She took a deep breath. "I don't have…much time…" Much to Helena and Steve's horror, parts of her body were starting to become translucent. "Helena, I need to…tell you, something."

"Of course, darling." Helena was holding back tears now. "Anything."

Myka use what little strength she had left to reach up and cup Helena's cheek. "I think…I love you. Which means…the Myka from here does too. You're back. You still have…a chance. Tell her." She let out a last, languid gasp, and her body seemed to just dissolve in Helena's arms.

Steve was confused. "What the hell is going on?"

Helena didn't say anything. All she could do was cry.

When Pete, Myka and Claudia arrived at the hangar, they were in for a surprise.

Tesla rifles at the ready they burst in, obviously expecting a gunfight. Instead they found Steve and Helena, sitting on fold out chairs and having a quiet conversation, while Sykes, Marcus and their computer hacker cohort bound and gagged. Both of them looked up and smiled.

"Hey guys," said Steve. "Helena was just telling me about her time machine."

"Your friend here is quite the bibliophile. I must say, it's quite refreshing to meet a fan."

Pete's eyes widened. "Uh oh. Lady cuckoo is back."

"It's nice to see you again, Peter."

Myka looked around. "Did you do all this?"

"Not me, dear." Helena stood up. "You." She held out the watch and explained what had happened with the alternate Myka, leaving her listeners as dumbfounded as the audiences a century ago, when she would do a recitation of one of her 'brother's' stories. "You are quite remarkable."

While Claudia was hugging Steve and Pete got out his Farnsworth to fill Artie in on what had happened, Helena cautiously approached Myka. She knew, in spite of the progress they had made, there was a very good chance the other woman was still too angry with her to truly listen to what she had to say, but she needed to say it even if she did ultimately end up back inside the 'psycho eight ball' as Pete had called it. "Myka."

"It's really good to see you," said Myka. "I mean, see the real you, not just the holo-you. I mean…" She shook her head. "You know what I mean. You do know what I mean, right?"

Helena nodded. "I think I followed that line of idiosyncratic dialogue, yes. Myka…"

"I thought I'd lost you. In the forest. When Pete said we needed to destroy the Janus coin, I knew he was right, but still, it hurt so much." Myka took a deep breath. "Helena, I…"

"It's all right, dear. I know what you're trying to say." Helena cupped Myka's cheeks. "I feel the same way." She leaned in and kissed Myka, and was delighted when Myka kissed her back.

Steve saw this and smiled but turned away to give the women their privacy. Claudia, on the other hand, elbowed Pete in the stomach and pointed. "See? What did I tell you?"

"Jinkies. I guess I owe you twenty bucks."

Myka wrapped her arms around Helena and pulled her closer, their lips never parting. Thought she was pretty sure there were still dark days ahead, for the first time in a long time she actually allowed herself to believe, just for a moment, that everything was going to be okay.

THE END

. 


End file.
